Upon firing, a weapon incurs a high rate of acceleration in a direction opposite the direction of the projectile. This generates a recoil-induced shock (or acceleration) that is transferred or transmitted to any device that is mounted on the weapon. Some examples of weapon-mounted devices include optical day scopes, night vision devices, illumination systems and laser aiming systems. Generally, manufacturers of weapon-mounted devices design and construct them to handle, or otherwise be immune to, such shock and acceleration. However, weapon-mounted devices are becoming increasingly complex and sensitive. Use of more sensitive components generally results in additional design and engineering efforts/requirements, higher costs or other undesirable attributes such as higher weight or increased system bulk in order to produce a weapon-mounted device capable of meeting a given weapon's shock or acceleration specification.
Thus, it would be beneficial to provide a shock mitigation system that effectively lowers or relaxes the shock/acceleration handling capabilities of the weapon-mounted device while still meeting the weapon's shock/acceleration specifications. This would reduce the costs of manufacturing the weapon-mounted device as well as increase its useful lifetime.
Accordingly, there is needed a shock mitigation system that substantially dissipates or attenuates recoil-induced shock/acceleration (generated upon weapon firing) imparted to a device mounted on the weapon.